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Cougar Mountain Ski Tour

Climb and ski a local favorite just outside of Winthrop, Washington.

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Difficulty: Moderate

Length: 3 miles

Duration: Half day

Overview :
Cougar Mountain lies just 2 miles northwest of Winthrop, Washington and is a local favorite when the snow is deep enough to ski the... more » hillsides of the Methow Valley. In most seasons, this tour is possible in late December through February. It is particularly ideal with a dump of new snow on top of the base layer that forms early in the season.
The 1500 ft. climb is short but steep so makes yo-yo-ing the slopes a good option for full day of skiing. As with most slopes on the east side of the Cascades, the sun can adversely affect the south facing slopes so looking for east or north facing terrain will provide the best snow conditions for skiing. less «

Tips:
Essential backcountry gear is still important- slides are uncommon here but the slopes are steep enough to slide in the right... more » conditions with a good volume of new snow. More resources and full HD 3D maps are available at Dr.Telemark.com.less «

Points of Interest

1. Start of Tour

Park at the trailhead of the groomed Gunn Ranch Road crosscountry trail. You will be on the road for a very short time before beginning your climb up Cougar Mountain so you do not need an MVSTA pass for this "front-country" tour. Follow the road north then turn west past the frozen pond on your right. Just as you leave the gully,... More leave the road and begin to climb the south shoulder of Cougar Mountain.Less

2. South Shoulder

Once on the shoulder, begin switchbacking up this steady slope to the summit ridge. You will have expanding views of the Methow Valley behind you as you climb and will see the two common descent choices on either side of the shoulder (the south face and the east face). Higher up on the ridge you enter a forested area just before you reach the... More open slopes below the summit.Less

3. Summit of Cougar Mountain

Climb to the true summit of Cougar Mountain and take in the 360 degree views of the Mazama corridor to the west, the Chewuch River valley to the northeast, and the Methow to the south. From here you have two open skiing options to the east and south and a tree skiing option to the northeast.

4. The North Descent

This tree skiing run has a moderate pitch and a long descent. The best run starts north about 100 feet below the true summit of Cougar Mountain (the west end of the ridge). The trees are quite dense outside of this shot through the woods so good route finding skills are needed to make your way back to the east, then wrap around the southeast... More aspect of Cougar Mountain.Less

5. East Face

The east face is the steepest run with a few bushes that you may need to navigate around in lower snow conditions. This 1400 ft descent is a fast descent and makes for a good slope to get your adrenaline going for the day. Stay to skier's left or far right on descent as there is a substantial rock collection in the middle of the run. The upper ... Morepitches are up to 40 degrees then the run mellows gradually to about 25 degrees at the base.Less

6. South face

The south face has more drainage features and is less sun protected that the other descents. It is less steep and with fresh snow, offers the intermediate skier an perfect run down to the Gunn Ranch road trail. Not advised if a new sun crust that has developed on the surface layer.

7. Northeast Descent

The face receives no direct sun all winter and can harbor powder for weeks after it has fallen. The tree density make make this descent challenging depending on the snow depth. It may be the best run to finish a day of yo-yo-ing the slopes of Cougar Mountain.

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